US urged China to respected Tibetans’ right to choose the next Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan people on April 25 through a resolution that was passed unanimously by the national legislative assembly. The United State senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for right of the Tibetan community to choose the successor to the current, the fourteenth, Dalai Lama.
“Any attempt by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to identify or install its own candidate as a Tibetan Buddhist religious leader, including a future 15th Dalai Lama, is invalid interference in the right to religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists,” the US government resolution stated.
The resolution was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy on behalf of Senator Feinstein, Senator Cruz, and Senator Rubio, and the Senate passed the resolution on the auspicious occasion of Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima’s 29th birthday following which the US State Department released a statement calling for the immediate release of the Panchen Lama who has been kidnapped by the Chinese government since his early age of 6.
The resolution reiterated His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s declaration in 2011 that the responsibility for identifying a future 15th Dalai Lama rests solely with the officials of his private office; anyone recognised through illegitimate methods or for political reasons should not be accepted.
While the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed their opposition against the US Senate resolution by blaming it for interfering with their internal matters, the President of Central Tibetan Administration Dr. Sangay acknowledged and expressed gratitude towards the US government.
“This resolution stands up for the Tibetan people’s inalienable rights and opposes any attempt by external actors, specifically the People’s Republic of China, to interfere in the reincarnation selection process. The unanimous support from the US Senate sends a powerful message to the international community and to China in particular. It sets a precedent for other nations to follow.” Dr. Lobsang Sangay told according to the report by CTA official website.
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